Whole-Exome Sequencing Identifies Loci Associated with Blood Cell Traits and Reveals a Role for Alternative GFI1B Splice Variants in Human Hematopoiesis

(The American Journal of Human Genetics 99, 481–488; August 4, 2016

γδ T lymphocyte responses to HIV

Natural immunity may be involved in controlling viral spread in hosts infected with HIV. A panel of γδ T cell receptor-positive lymphocyte clones was isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy HIV− donors and tested for anti-HIV cytotoxic responses. Twelve of 30 (40%) Vγ9+Vδ2+ T cell clones, but none of seven Vδ1+ T cell clones, displayed lytic activity against HIV-infected cells. The Vγ9+/Vδ2+ clones cytotoxic for HIV-infected cells also lysed Daudi cells. However, not all Vγ9+/Vδ2+ clones which lysed Daudi targets had the capacity to lyse HIV-infected cells. Some of the γδ T cell clones were also investigated for potential proliferative responses to HIV-infected cells. One Vγ9+/Vδ2+ T cell clone (ME8-7) and one Vδ1+ T cell clone (ME18-2) demonstrated proliferative responses toward HIV-infected cells. Another Vγ9+/Vδ2+ clone (VM39) proliferated in response to cell-free HIV. Taken together, these results provide direct evidence of anti-HIV γδ T cell responses in healthy, HIV− persons

Years of Able Life in Older Persons—The Role of Cardiovascular Imaging and Biomarkers: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Background: As the U.S. population grows older, there is greater need to examine physical independence. Previous studies have assessed risk factors in relation to either disability or mortality, but an outcome that combines both is still needed. Methods and Results: The Cardiovascular Health Study is a population‐based, prospective study where participants underwent baseline echocardiogram, measurement of carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT), and various biomarkers, then followed for up to 18 years. Years of able life (YAL) constituted the number of years the participant was able to perform all activities of daily living. Linear regression was used to model the relationship between selected measures and outcomes, adjusted for confounding variables. Among 4902 participants, mean age was 72.6±5.4 years, median YAL for males was 8.8 (interquartile range [IQR], 4.3 to 13.8) and 10.3 (IQR, 5.8 to 15.8) for females. Reductions in YAL in the fully adjusted model for females and males, respectively, were: −1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], −2.18, −0.49) and −1.41 (95% CI, −2.03, −0.8) for abnormal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, −0.5 (95% CI, −0.78, −0.22) and −0.62 (95% CI, −0.87, −0.36) per SD increase in LV mass, −0.5 (95% CI, −0.7, −0.29) and −0.79 (95% CI, −0.99, −0.58) for IMT, −0.5 (95% CI, −0.64, −0.37) and −0.79 (95% CI, −0.94, −0.65) for N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide, −1.08 (95% CI, −1.34, −0.83) and −0.73 (95% CI, −0.97, −0.5) for high‐sensitivity troponin‐T, and −0.26 (95% CI, −0.42, −0.09) and −0.23 (95% CI, −0.41, −0.05) for procollagen‐III N‐terminal propeptide. Most tested variables remained significant even after adjusting for incident cardiovascular (CV) disease. Conclusions: In this population‐based cohort, variables obtained by CV imaging and biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation, atherosclerosis, myocardial injury and stress, and cardiac collagen turnover were associated with YAL, an important outcome that integrates physical ability and longevity in older persons

Years of Able Life in Older Persons-The Role of Cardiovascular Imaging and Biomarkers: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Background As the U.S. population grows older, there is greater need to examine physical independence. Previous studies have assessed risk factors in relation to either disability or mortality, but an outcome that combines both is still needed. Methods and Results The Cardiovascular Health Study is a population‐based, prospective study where participants underwent baseline echocardiogram, measurement of carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT), and various biomarkers, then followed for up to 18 years. Years of able life (YAL) constituted the number of years the participant was able to perform all activities of daily living. Linear regression was used to model the relationship between selected measures and outcomes, adjusted for confounding variables. Among 4902 participants, mean age was 72.6±5.4 years, median YAL for males was 8.8 (interquartile range [IQR], 4.3 to 13.8) and 10.3 (IQR, 5.8 to 15.8) for females. Reductions in YAL in the fully adjusted model for females and males, respectively, were: −1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], −2.18, −0.49) and −1.41 (95% CI, −2.03, −0.8) for abnormal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, −0.5 (95% CI, −0.78, −0.22) and −0.62 (95% CI, −0.87, −0.36) per SD increase in LV mass, −0.5 (95% CI, −0.7, −0.29) and −0.79 (95% CI, −0.99, −0.58) for IMT, −0.5 (95% CI, −0.64, −0.37) and −0.79 (95% CI, −0.94, −0.65) for N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide, −1.08 (95% CI, −1.34, −0.83) and −0.73 (95% CI, −0.97, −0.5) for high‐sensitivity troponin‐T, and −0.26 (95% CI, −0.42, −0.09) and −0.23 (95% CI, −0.41, −0.05) for procollagen‐III N‐terminal propeptide. Most tested variables remained significant even after adjusting for incident cardiovascular (CV) disease. Conclusions In this population‐based cohort, variables obtained by CV imaging and biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation, atherosclerosis, myocardial injury and stress, and cardiac collagen turnover were associated with YAL, an important outcome that integrates physical ability and longevity in older persons.Keywords: activities of daily living, biomarkers, aging, imagin

Vaccination with Tat toxoid attenuates disease in simian/HIV-challenged macaques

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe